Borough Tackles Brief Agenda

Following a reorganizational meeting last Wednesday evening, McConnellsburg Borough Council conducted a brief regular meeting and dealt with a short agenda.

Council authorized borough secretary Jack Fields to “turn off” the downtown Christmas lights and “unbag” the parking meters by January 11.

A representative for Dr. Susanne Reed was present to ask council for a letter approving moving her offices from Buchanan Trail to the Antietam Iron building. The borough had no objection and agreed to write the letter. Reed, of C&S Reed Consulting, provides drug and alcohol treatment services in Fulton County.

Council concluded the meeting by revisiting the “missing sidewalk” on South Second Street near the Ayr Town Center. Both Councilman Adam Gress and Councilwoman Pat Frazier noted that the county’s Community Development Block Grant administrator Karen Hann had sent out income surveys to residents on the east side of South Second Street to determine if the project would be eligible for CDBG funding. Although council has not received those results, the project would only be eligible if those residents were predominantly low-income residents.

Council concluded that nothing can be done now with the winter weather and that it would need to wait for the results of the survey. Council President Buterbaugh said that he does not believe that borough funds should be used to put in the sidewalk because it would set a precedent for other areas that have no sidewalks. Under borough ordinances, the property owner is responsible for putting in and maintaining the sidewalk on their property. No action was taken.

During regular business, council voted to pay December bills in the amount of $8,007.38. Receipts for the same period were $6,268.17. Checks were written for $15,467.36, and the January 1 balance was $13,218.80.